Frankfort, KY – Covering Kentucky Kids and Families, Kentucky Youth Advocates and Kentucky Voices for Health commend Kentucky’s efforts to maintain a lifeline to uninsured children during tough economic times. The three groups also called on the state to make the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) even more efficient. They issued the following joint statement on February 3, 2011:

“This week marks the two-year anniversary of the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), which allowed the state to continue its successful efforts to ensure access to health coverage for low-income children. As a result, the number of uninsured children inKentucky has dropped despite the loss of jobs and employer-sponsored coverage in our state.

Kentucky leaders have recognized that as the state faced tough budgetary times, many families were also struggling under even greater financial pressures and needed help in covering basic needs, like insuring their children’s health. Governor Beshear responded by removing cumbersome administrative requirements in KCHIP to make it easier for families to enroll their children in the program and stay covered.

Kentucky has enrolled an estimated 51,700 children in KCHIP and Medicaid since November 2008. While the Commonwealth has come a long way, there is always more that can be done working together with community partners to address the needs of the uninsured children in Kentucky. In addition, state budget pressures threaten the stability of KCHIP at a time when families need it more than ever.Kentuckycan achieve even greater efficiency in the program by allowing continuous eligibility, matching application information with existing databases, and developing web-based applications.

As families begin to find solid footing after the most turbulent economic times since the Great Depression, it is crucial that Kentucky continue to hold steady in its commitment to covering more uninsured children who are eligible, but not enrolled in KCHIP. The anniversary of the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program law provides an opportunity to renew our commitment to help our most vulnerable residents by keeping KCHIP strong.”